The Merry Past 



courage. Many members, for instance, who publicly 

 favour measures of the type of the last Licensing Bill 

 (which amongst other arbitrary provisions appointed 

 inspectors for clubs), will privately admit the dubious 

 benefits to be derived from such interference with 

 the liberty of the subject. 



Not a few of those members who voted for the 

 Bill which has just been mentioned were, as a matter 

 of common knowledge, delighted at its rejection by 

 the Lords, though they themselves had lacked the 

 moral courage or independence to vote against it. 



Amongst the various changes nothing is more 

 striking than the parochial tone which has crept into 

 parliamentary life, and also the shameless cynicism of 

 certain politicians who change sides for quite obvious 

 reasons, their political convictions being, as it were, 

 always up for sale. 



A famous wit once said that fiction was a good 

 resource for the newspapers, as one lie made two 

 paragraphs. Many have taken this hint to heart, 

 and the speech of to-day is too often employed in 

 explaining away the assertions of yesterday. 



In old days the House of Commons was composed 

 of a singularly unemotional body of men, most of 

 whom had a considerable knowledge of the world and 

 of the limitations of human nature. 



To-day a large proportion of members would seem 

 to hold the belief that legislative interference with 

 the life and habits of the people is capable of produc- 

 ing a sort of earthly paradise. Laws, which for no 

 good reason impose irritating restrictions upon 



H 



